EPPA and PACT European Affairs are two ‘continental’ EU affairs consultancies in a post-Brexit EU. Operating on the basis of a very similar culture, both firms are built upon technical, political and strategic expertise, an international clientele, multicultural teams, long-standing advocacy experience and an intimate knowledge of EU decision-making both in Brussels and in the Member states.

Based on these common foundations, both companies have seen an opportunity for perfect synergy. By merging, EPPA and PACT European Affairs will seamlessly unite their expertise, their networks andtheir services.

The combined understanding of EU procedures and related networks will offer our present and future clients comprehensive assistance (political, strategic, legal, technical and in mediation) across the decision-making process, in the policy-shaping and legislative phase as well as during the implementation stage.

The merger will allow EPPA, already advising numerous large groups in the agro-chemical, seeds and fertilizers sector, to strengthen its European footprint in the agricultural field given Daniel Guéguen’s expertise as former COPA-COGECA Secretary General. With its expertise in the pharmaceutical field, PACT will further reinforce EPPA’s leadership position. PACT will also bring to EPPA its rich catalogue of publications, its team, its Newsletter (Comitology.eu) and its visibility on social media. This adds up to several EPPA publications made available notably via its academic network.

Concerning EU training, Stefan Schepers – Chairman of EPPA, Professor at Henley Business School (Reading University), former Director-General of the European Institute of Public Administration at Maastricht (EIPA) – and Daniel Guéguen – founder of the European Training Institute – will be developing a range of trainings under the European Training Institute brand, still today a well-known brand in Brussels.

Daniel Guéguen and Vicky Marissen will be continuing with their academic activities at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin. They will be Associate Partner and Partner at EPPA respectively, and look forward to embarking on an especially stimulating business project.

EPPA is the oldest independent and self-owned specialist consultancy in Brussels, advising on the interactions between governments and EU institutions and business, with a focus on constructive dialogue and innovation.

In these times of complexity, opacity and political correctness, speaking openly is now more important than ever.

About: Daniel Guéguen

With 40 years of experience in EU public affairs, Daniel Guéguen is founder and Head of Strategy and Lobbying at PACT European Affairs.

In 1996 he created CLAN Public Affairs and the European Training Institute. Before this, Daniel was Head of the European sugar industry and Secretary General of COPA-COGECA, the EU farmers’ union lobby. Guéguen is Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin, as well as at SciencePo Paris and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). He previously taught at Georgetown University and Harvard Kennedy School. He is a renowned author of 15 books translated into 20 languages. Recent publications include: “Comitology: Hijacking European Power?” (2010), “Handbook on EU Secondary Legislation” (2012), “Reshaping European Lobbying” (2013) and “The New Practical Guide to the EU Labyrinth” (2015).